Method of and apparatus for covering eyelets with flexible material.



No. 795,033. PATENTED JULY 18,1905. P. R. GLASS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COVERING EYBLETS WIT-H FLEXIBLE MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. 1905.

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Patented July 18, 1905.

PERLEY R. GLASS, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COVERING EYELETS WITH FLEXIBLE MATERIAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 795,033, dated July 18, 1905.

Application filed April 5, 1905. Serial No, 254.066.

T 0 a7] whom zit may concern.-

Be it known that l, PERLEY R. GLASS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Quincy, county of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Covering Eyelets with Flexible Material, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying the same.

My invention relates to a method for covering eyelets with a flexible non-corrosive materialsuch as sheet celluloid or rubber or a like material-and the means for putting on said covering.

The objects of my invention are as follows: to provide a method for covering eyelets with a flexible material cut or formed from sheets of the proper thickness or otherwise formed of the proper shape and thickness to form the covering for an eyelet.

Another object is to provide an apparatus that will cover eyelets with a flexible material cut or formed from sheets or otherwise formed into disks of the proper form and thickness.

Heretofore eyelets have been covered with celluloid, rubber, or a like material by melting such material and pressing it onto the eyelets in a former or die, after which the material is allowed to harden. This method is wasteful of the material and takes considerable time to form the operation of covering an eyelet. By my method of covering eylets and the means employed the eyelets are covered with the material while in its hardened state and without any waste of the material.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved means for covering eyelets, showing an eyelet in position and a section of the material for covering same ready for the first operation of shaping the material around the head of the eyelet. Fig. 2 is a partial sectional elevation, same as Fig. 1, showing the eyelet and the material for covering it partially formed around the head of the eyelet. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, same as Fig. 1, and shows the eyelet and the material fully formed around its head as it appears when completed.

In the drawings, 1 represents the upper dieholder, and 2 the lower die-holder.

3 3 are rods connecting the two die-holders,

secured thereto in such manner as to slide freely in one of said die-holders and act as guides to keep them in proper alinement and to limit their movement away from each other.

l 4 are spiral springs surrounding the rods 3 3, their purpose being to keep the die-holders normally apart. The rods 3 3 are of sufiicient length to allow the die-holders to move apart a suflicient distance so that an eyelet and the material to cover it may be placed upon the point 9 of the lower die.

5 represents the lower die-holding block.

6 is the centering and lower forming-die, which is kept in its normal upward position, as shown in Fig. 1, by the spiral spring 7. The spiral spring presses against the bottom of the forming-die 6 and against the adjusting-screw 8, which is threaded into the bottom of the dieblock 5.

9 represents the centering-point formed on the lower die 6 and is tapering and of a sufficient size at its base to properly center the covering material and the eyelet.

10 represents the concave cover-forming portion of the die 6. The die 6 is fitted within the upper portion, of the die-block 5 in such manner that it is free to slide vertically.

11 is what might be termed a pressingdie and is mounted in the die-holder 1 and the upper forming-die 20 in such manner as to move freely in a vertical direction and is held in its normal downward position,as shown in Fig. 1, by the spiral spring 12, which presses against its top.

13 is a holding and adjusting screw threaded into the upper end of the die-holder 1 and serves as an abutment for the upper end of the spiral spring 12.

14 is a tapering hole in the pressing-die 11 to accommodate the upper end of the centering-point 9.

15 is the annular end of the pressing-die 11 and is so formed as to press upon the upper end of the eyelet 16 to press it downwardly to form the material 17 around the head of the eyelet in the concave forming portion 10.

18 is a projection on the adjusting-screw 8, which is adapted to contact with the bottom of the forming-die 6 to limit its downward movement, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3.

19 is an annular concave flange on the upper forming-die 20, which is adapted to contact with the upper edge of the covering material 17 when it is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and to turn its edge inward to cover the edge of the head of the eyelet, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The method and operation of covering an eyelet is as follows: The die-holders 1 and 2 are moved apart a sufficient distance to allow the material for covering 17 and the eyelet 16 to be dropped over the end of the centeringpoint 9. Thereafter the die-holders 1 and flare pressed together by any suitable means, as in a power-press, whereupon the flange of the pressing-die 11 will move downwardly and contact with the upper edge of the eyelet 16, press it downwardly against the material 17, and gradually bend it and press the forming-die 6 downwardly to form the material around the head of the eyelet, as is shown in Fig. 2. Thereafter said pressing-die 11 and the forming-die are moved downwardly together, deflecting the forming-die 6 and compressing the spring 7 until said forming-die 6 has contacted with the point 18 of the adjustingscrew 8. This movement .is due to the fact that the spring 12 is stronger than the spring 7 and will overcome and deflect it. After the lower forming-die 6-has moved downwardly and contacted with the point 18 the upper presser-die 11 will remain stationary, pressing against the eyelet, and the upper formingdie 20 continuing downward will gradually turn the edges of the covering material 17 inwardly and press it down firmly around the outer edge of the head of the eyelet, as is shown in Fig. 3.

In practice, in cold weather particularly, means are provided to slightly warm the edges 10 and 19 of the forming-dies 6 and 20 in order to make the material more yielding, but are not heated sufiiciently to cause said mate- .rial to become plastic, as it is not intended to make the operation of covering so slow as to give time for hardening of the material.

The form of die-holders and arrangement of the dies may be changed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is-- 1. In an apparatus for covering eyelets, a yielding holding-die for holding and centering the eyelet and material; a spring for said holding-die; a stop for said holding-die; a material-forming recess in said holding-die; a yielding pressing-die; a spring for said pressing-die; and an annular upper forming-die.

2. In an apparatus for covering eyelets, up-

per and lower forming-dies formed and arranged to form and press covering material upon the head of an eyelet; centering means formed on the lower die for centering the covering material and eyelet; and yielding means for pressing the eyelet against the covering material.

3. In an apparatus for covering eyelets, yielding means for holding and centering an eyelet and the material to cover it; a spiral spring for said holding means; a yielding pressing-die; a spring for said die; upper and lower forming-dies; suitable means for pressing said dies together; means for guiding said dies; and means for pushing them apart.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this the 3d day of April, 1905.

PERLEY R. GLASS.

Witnesses:

H. M. KELso, R. P. ELLIOTT. 

